Women and girls with ADHD are referred for diagnostic evaluation far less frequently than males, and are more often diagnosed at a later age. We will explore the reasons for these discrepancies as well as the impact of delayed diagnosis, or often incorrect diagnoses, on the development of self-efficacy, self perceptions, and overall well being. Specific criteria for the diagnosis of ADHD will be reviewed, with particular emphasis on the symptoms of ADHD Inattentive Type, which is the most common type in women and girls. Discussion will include the role of the neuropsychologist in providing crucial data for differential diagnosis and advocacy.

Patricia Wyckoff is a pediatric neuropsychologist with over 30 years experience in evaluation of children and adolescents with neurological disorders. Currently in private practice, she began her career as Director of Pediatric Neuropsychology at the Floating Hospital/ New England Medical Center, providing both inpatient and outpatient assessments. Her role included an appointment as Clinical Instructor in Pediatrics through Tufts University School of Medicine, providing didactic and clinical training to interns, residents, and postdoctoral fellows.

In the global arena, Dr. Wyckoff chaired the International Neuropsychological Society’s Book and Journal Depository, collecting and dispersing donated professional texts to colleagues in developing countries around the world. She teamed with American psychologists on several visits abroad, including to China and Vietnam with the purpose of sharing research and clinical expertise with colleagues in those countries, and visited Cambodia to assist colleagues in developing a graduate program in Psychology at the Royal University of Phnom Penh.

Dr. Wyckoff holds a B.A. in Psychology from Smith College, an M.A. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Hartford, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University. She interned at the Rusk Institute at NYU and completed postdoctoral fellowships in Pediatric Psychology and Developmental Disabilities at Rhode Island Hospital, and in Clinical Child Neuropsychology at New England Medical Center. She is a is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Massachusetts Psychological Association. She is a lifetime member of the Massachusetts Neuropsychological Society, where she has served on the Executive Board. She has provided reviews of new assessment measures for ‘The Massachusetts Psychologist’, served as consultant on forensic cases involving child brain injury, and mentored graduate students in the Black Mental Health Graduate Academy of William James College. 

Women & Wine Wednesdays is a professional networking group for MIT alumnae & friends - women and those who identify as women. If you would like to bring a male colleague, please email Tina Kruczynski (tina@mitsloanboston.com).

   REGISTER

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

6:00 - 9:00 p.m. 

The Ritz-Carlton, Artisan Bistro

10 Avery Street, Boston, MA

MIT/Sloan Alumnae: $25/each

MIT/Sloan Students: $15/each

Non-MIT/Sloan Alumnae: $35/each 

This event is hosted and sponsored by the MIT Sloan Boston Alumni Association (MITSBAA). MITSBAA is an alumni-led 501-C3 non-profit. For more information and/or to volunteer, please email tina@mitsloanboston.com